Johansen has written programs that get around those restrictions: one that would let other companies sell copy-protected songs that play on the iPod, and another that would let other devices play iTunes songs. Starting this fall, his new company, DoubleTwist, will license them to anyone who wants to get into the digital-music business — and doesn’t mind getting hate mail from Cupertino.

I don’t think “hate mail” is what his company ought to be worried about.